Now, at the fall meeting of the Association of the United States Army, they have officially revealed the fruits of their efforts: the Chevrolet Colorado ZH2 Fuel Cell Vehicle, the most capable and strongest fuel-cell-driven electric vehicle ever made by GM.

The Colorado ZH2 stands an imposing 6-and-a-half-feet tall, with a 7-foot-wide stance. It is built on a heavily reinforced, stretched mid-size pickup chassis and rides on rugged 37-inch tires.

The ZH2 will function as a test vehicle so that the Army can evaluate the technology for serious military deployment. As such, the ZH2 offers a number of useful features, including Recaro seats, integrated tow hooks and winch, and–most impressively–an Electric Power Takeoff unit, which can be removed from the rear of the vehicle and provide 25kW of electric power in areas where power may otherwise not be available.

Besides the special features, though, the Army will be looking at a few specific capabilities that the hydrogen fuel cell powertrain offers, including a near-silent operation, lower acoustic and thermal signatures, high torque thanks to electric motors, low fuel consumption over long ranges, and the harvesting of the water by-product from the engine for field use.

The ZH2 will continue to undergo rigorous training at the GM Milford Proving Grounds before it is handed over to the Army for its own year-long field test.